9 comments to What do you need to be reminded of?

Karine: I know! In truth, they’re supposed to be okay with each other. But I’m sure the fox is extra protective when the kits are still in the den. I’d like to say I’m impressed with my cat. I guess I like knowing that she will defend herself. But I really don’t want her chasing foxes!

Okay, why should I attempt to change the world in regards to dimensions? I haven’t done a rigorous survey of every use of dimensions out there, but having been hanging around the planet for a while (55 years give or take a few hours), having spent a lot of years in and around the printing business, and more recently a quarter century around computers, everything I can think of is specified as width by height. I’ve done sites for folks that made me nuts, because they had no consistency on which number came first, but browsers and Photoshop offer no grace on this point, it’s width by height. Paper sizes are the same. (Go ahead and ask for a ream of eleven by eight and a half sometime!) Computer monitors, the same. When my wife and I both read “I’d Rather Be In the Studio!” it was about the only advice in the entire book that I disagreed with. Assuming that the market for my wife’s art isn’t limited to your readers, why should I confuse them? Van

Alyson: Is the fox much larger than your cat? I am imagining it being larger. I just had a conversation with some cat owners who were talking about their cats being very aggressive, even with much larger animals. (I would be worried, too!) The dimensions thing always confuses me—but H x W x D seems correct to me. On things such as paper sizes, I wonder—is it perhaps the smaller dimension listed first–because the orientation of paper is always vertical? As far as computer monitors go—I have always heard them referred to as one dimension: that is, the measurement is the diagonal of the monitor screen. (Like TV’s)

Christine: Most foxes weight 7-9 lbs, so they’re not very big. However, this could be a male and weigh more. They’re just longer and thinner. If it’s art, it’s ALWAYS HxWxD. Can’t speak to the paper before it becomes art. Tracy: I like that one! Yes, remember to take care of yourself.

Van: Pick up any reputable art book and the work is listed as HxWxD. It’s “industry” standard. Ditto for a reputable gallery. It’s just the way things are done. I’m not trying to confuse you or make it difficult. I’m just passing on the information. A curator or gallery dealer (or sophisticated collector, for that matter) who saw dimensions as WxH would know they were written incorrectly.

The way I remember the dimensions is to think of an “L” with the height first, then the width. When you get as old as I am, these little visual cues are very useful. Give a treat to Wonder Cat. Then tell him to never scare you like that again.

I need to be reminded that disappointing sales at shows aren’t a direct reflection upon my work. Suggestion for a topic or series: how artists are faring in this economy, and strategies for successfully coping with it. Thanks for all you do, Michelle